Tariff (n.): A tax on goods coming into or leaving a country
A political cartoon depicting the growth of the North at the expense of the South as a result of tariffs
Overview:
The Tariff of 1828, otherwise known as the Tariff of Abominations, was the highest tariff ever enacted in US history. The tariff was passed in the spring of 1828, and was supposed to protect American industry. At the time, British goods were a serious source of competition for American goods. The tariff of 1828 was passed so that foreign (especially British) products would become more expensive than American products, and therefore protect American manufacturers from foreign competition. As would be expected, Northern manufacturers were in support of the tariff, although Southern mentality was quite opposite. The Southern economy was very dependent on exports of crops such as cotton and tobacco to Europe, and the tariff imposed incredibly high taxes on these exports. Therefore, the South felt (and not without some justification) that the tariff would cripple their economy and was unfairly passed to benefit only a specific region of the US. In addition, the South was not home to a major manufacturing industry, and therefore was dependent on finished goods from either Britain or the Northern United States. Without British competition for the market, prices for finished goods from the North were high, and the South was at a further disadvantage. The South, enraged at the passing of such a tariff, called it the "Tariff of Abominations", and took action which led to the nullification crisis.
Nullification Crisis:The Nullification Crisis arose because of Southern states' discontent with the tariff of 1828. John C. Calhoun, vice president under both Adams and Jackson, opposed the tariff. He promoted the idea that states' rights came before federal rights, and therefore states had the right to choose on an individual basis whether they accept the tariff or refuse it. In the early 1830s, Calhoun resigned from his position as vice president to return to South Carolina, where he was elected to senate. South Carolina, encouraged by Calhoun, enacted the South Carolina Ordinance of Nullification, which declared the tariff null, and declared that they would secede from the union if the government attempted to enforce the tariff. Jackson refused to allow the nullification of the tariff and congress passed the Force Bill, which would allow Jackson to send troops into South Carolina to forcibly collect the taxes due as a result of the tariff if South Carolina refused to pay. Violence seemed imminent, but in 1832 Henry Clay proposed a new tariff. At first, the South still objected to this new tariff, but Henry Clay amended the tariff as a compromise. South Carolina eventually accepted the new tariff and repealed its Ordinance of Nullification in 1833. (See also the John C. Calhoun page)
Actual Reason for Passing Tariff:
The Tariff of Abominations was not originally meant to be passed. It was written with clear negative implications for people in both the North (merchants, shipbuilders) and the South (farmers, plantation owners). Andrew Jackson and his supporters wrote the tariff with the expectation that the Democratic-Republican party in the North would deny the tariff because of the negative impact it would have on the North. Jackson's supporters could then withdraw their support of the tariff and blame the failure of the tariff on New England, thereby strengthening Jackson's support in both the North and the South. However, the tariff passed the House with a vote of 105 to 94, and the Tariff of Abominations was born.
The Tariff of 1828 was originally created with the intent of increasing Jackson's popularity and therefore his chances of being elected president
Nationalism/Sectionalism:
The Tariff of Abominations clearly led to increased sectionalism between the North and South, and widened the rift that had begun to form between the two regions. The tariff increased the South's dislike of the federal government. In addition, the nullification crisis brought to light the issue of states' rights vs. federal rights, and the disparity between the idea of a powerful state government, popular in the South, and a powerful federal government, popular in the North. This argument concerning states rights is often said to be one of the main disagreements that catalyzed the Civil War. The nullification crisis also planted the idea of secession in the South. Because of these factors, the tariff helped to set the stage for the Civil War, arguably America's greatest sectionalist issue in history
1828
Tariff (n.): A tax on goods coming into or leaving a country
Overview:
The Tariff of 1828, otherwise known as the Tariff of Abominations, was the highest tariff ever enacted in US history. The tariff was passed in the spring of 1828, and was supposed to protect American industry. At the time, British goods were a serious source of competition for American goods. The tariff of 1828 was passed so that foreign (especially British) products would become more expensive than American products, and therefore protect American manufacturers from foreign competition. As would be expected, Northern manufacturers were in support of the tariff, although Southern mentality was quite opposite. The Southern economy was very dependent on exports of crops such as cotton and tobacco to Europe, and the tariff imposed incredibly high taxes on these exports. Therefore, the South felt (and not without some justification) that the tariff would cripple their economy and was unfairly passed to benefit only a specific region of the US. In addition, the South was not home to a major manufacturing industry, and therefore was dependent on finished goods from either Britain or the Northern United States. Without British competition for the market, prices for finished goods from the North were high, and the South was at a further disadvantage. The South, enraged at the passing of such a tariff, called it the "Tariff of Abominations", and took action which led to the nullification crisis.
Nullification Crisis:The Nullification Crisis arose because of Southern states' discontent with the tariff of 1828. John C. Calhoun, vice president under both Adams and Jackson, opposed the tariff. He promoted the idea that states' rights came before federal rights, and therefore states had the right to choose on an individual basis whether they accept the tariff or refuse it. In the early 1830s, Calhoun resigned from his position as vice president to return to South Carolina, where he was elected to senate. South Carolina, encouraged by Calhoun, enacted the South Carolina Ordinance of Nullification, which declared the tariff null, and declared that they would secede from the union if the government attempted to enforce the tariff. Jackson refused to allow the nullification of the tariff and congress passed the Force Bill, which would allow Jackson to send troops into South Carolina to forcibly collect the taxes due as a result of the tariff if South Carolina refused to pay. Violence seemed imminent, but in 1832 Henry Clay proposed a new tariff. At first, the South still objected to this new tariff, but Henry Clay amended the tariff as a compromise. South Carolina eventually accepted the new tariff and repealed its Ordinance of Nullification in 1833. (See also the John C. Calhoun page)
Actual Reason for Passing Tariff:
The Tariff of Abominations was not originally meant to be passed. It was written with clear negative implications for people in both the North (merchants, shipbuilders) and the South (farmers, plantation owners). Andrew Jackson and his supporters wrote the tariff with the expectation that the Democratic-Republican party in the North would deny the tariff because of the negative impact it would have on the North. Jackson's supporters could then withdraw their support of the tariff and blame the failure of the tariff on New England, thereby strengthening Jackson's support in both the North and the South. However, the tariff passed the House with a vote of 105 to 94, and the Tariff of Abominations was born.Nationalism/Sectionalism:
The Tariff of Abominations clearly led to increased sectionalism between the North and South, and widened the rift that had begun to form between the two regions. The tariff increased the South's dislike of the federal government. In addition, the nullification crisis brought to light the issue of states' rights vs. federal rights, and the disparity between the idea of a powerful state government, popular in the South, and a powerful federal government, popular in the North. This argument concerning states rights is often said to be one of the main disagreements that catalyzed the Civil War. The nullification crisis also planted the idea of secession in the South. Because of these factors, the tariff helped to set the stage for the Civil War, arguably America's greatest sectionalist issue in history